Five Important Traits of a Successful Freelance Field Engineer

Today’s current economic landscape is an environment in which many individuals take the leap to entrepreneurship and start their own freelancing businesses. As a freelance IT field engineer, you probably have many competitors, and how you conduct yourself throughout each individual job can make a big difference in maintaining and building upon your success.

It is fairly obvious that in order to be a successful freelance IT field engineer, you must possess the knowledge, skills and expertise to do your job properly and efficiently. What isn’t as obvious is that there are other traits you must possess in order to grow your customer base and remain a step ahead of the competition. Remembering to always exhibit these five traits to existing and potential future customers will serve you well:

1. Display a Professional Attitude

Displaying professionalism, whether on the phone or in person, is critical to your success. A customer who gets the impression that you aren’t a professional field engineer from your appearance or how you speak to him will quickly turn to a competitor.

Dress appropriately, and behave in a manner befitting of your station. Remember, you are there to perform a service — not to make friends — and you should strive to maintain an amicable working relationship.

2. Be Courteous to Your Customers

As a freelance field engineer, you will meet all kinds of people. Some you may like, and others you won’t really care for. Some will be friendly, and others will give you a hard time. Some may ask dozens of questions, and others may leave you be. Regardless of how your clients act, you should always be courteous. You are the one being paid for your services, and you are the one expected to act in a professional manner.

3. Show Up on Time

Nothing gets a customer more annoyed than having to wait for someone who said he would be there at a certain time and doesn’t show up. A client may have taken time off from work or other activities in order accommodate the appointment slot you had available. When a field engineer arrives late, you disturb the client’s schedule for the remainder of the day.

Understandably, there will be times when you are late due to unforeseen circumstances. When this occurs, let your customer know in advance that you’re not going to be on time.

4. Be Technically Assertive

As the field engineer, you are the expert — that is why your services were retained. A customer may think they know a little something about what you do, but it is your job to stand firm and recommend the best course of action based on your knowledge, experience and expertise. Exhibiting your skills in a confident manner puts your customer’s mind at ease.

5. Seek Reviews and Complaints

Obviously, you don’t want to receive any complaints from your customers, but getting reviews, even bad ones, lets you know how you are doing and gives you the information you need to improve how you conduct future business. Always try to resolve complaints, and ask clients to leave you online reviews if they are happy with your services.

Displaying the above traits is essential for any freelance field engineer because consumers today want more than just low prices. Customer service and quality of service are equally important, and they can be the deciding factors between gaining business or losing it to a competitor.